Brotherhood of the Bear

“Civilization is merely a term used to rationalize the destruction of life in order to erect dead material things.”

“To truly live is to feel the sun on your face, the grass between your toes, and not to ponder from whence your next meal comes.”

“A Brother of the Bear affects eternity since he knows not where his seed will spread.”

Druids and clerics who live in the forest, away from civilization, are the primary members of the Brotherhood of the Bear. They believe that the intelligent races will eventually destroy themselves, allowing nature once again to rule Tellene. Until that time, they consider it their duty to patrol woodlands and other wild areas, protecting them from destruction. Other duties of clerics include planting trees, healing wildlife and passing the ancient songs of the Old Oak to new generations. These songs, sung on holy days in a language known only to the gods, seem sad yet beautiful. Some believe they foretell the destruction of civilization. Until the riddle of the songs is revealed, clerics of The Bear strive to maintain a balance in the world between nature and civilization.

Adventures: Brothers of the Bear are more often inclined to remain in a specific area than to go wandering. Those that do decide to travel look for opportunities to defend nature against the encroaching taint of civilization. A common quest for Brothers of the Bear is to seek out the oldest treant, the Son of the Old Oak. The Son of the Old Oak is a valuable source of information on how to deal with threats from encroaching civilizations. He has also commanded other treants to aid the Conventicle of the Great Tree in past crises.

Characteristics: Most Brothers of the Bear are laconic and anti-social. While not necessarily loners who despise interlopers, the Priests are very protective of the natural world and distrustful of the influences of “civilization.” Rather than debate and negotiate to preserve the natural order, the Brother tends towards a more direct course of action to keep the world pristine. This does not always lead to violence, but the typical Brother is neither subtle nor long-winded. He states his position, makes his intentions known, and proceeds from there.

Background: Brothers of the Bear from urban backgrounds are almost unheard of. The dedication needed to be such a devoted follower of The Bear almost by definition demands a rural upbringing.

Races: Elves, half-elves, and gnomes make up almost half of the total of the Brothers of the Bear, with humans and halflings filling out the balance. Other races are rare.

Relations With Other Classes: For obvious reasons, Brothers of the Bear relate well to rangers, infiltrators and druids. They judge other individuals more on their interaction with nature than by their chosen profession.

Relations With Undead: Clerics must destroy undead at great cost, but need not sacrifice themselves or others. Clerics may animate or associate with undead only in rare, vital situations important to the faith. This may still bring excommunication, if the church leaders do not agree with the cleric’s assessment of the situation. There is no penalty of excommunication for animating the bodies of unintelligent creatures.

Role: Brothers of the Bear serve many of the same roles as rangers or druids. They are the wilderness scouts, pathfinders, and experts on the natural world and its inhabitants.